MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: If you believe this Viacom video, the sky is about to fall because DirecTV viewers can no longer tune into the antics of "SpongeBob SquarePants," Jon Stewart, or Snooki.

(SOUNDBITE OF THE AD)

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: This is a bad situation- it's like the end of civilization. DirecTV dropped MTV

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Really?

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: Nickelodeon.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: What?

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: We're doomed.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Comedy Central.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #3: No.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: That's so sad.

BARCO: Viacom officials says they asked DirecTV to renew their seven year old contract, asking for more money. Now, DirecTV CEO Michael White asks customers to be patient.

MICHAEL WHITE: It's a temporary and regrettable tactic to try to force you to pay substantially more for all their networks, even the ones you don't watch or care about. We think that's unreasonable.

BARCO: White says Viacom is demanding customers pay 30 percent more for their channels, or a billion dollars extra. Meanwhile, Viacom is shooting back with a video campaign, asking viewers to demand their favorite TV characters back on the air.